REVIEW: Grease: Rise of The Pink Ladies is a ’50s Show with a Modern Day Feel
Paramount+ is taking audiences back to the ‘50s with its new series, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies. A prequel to the hit movie musical, Grease, the new series picks up in 1954, four years before Sandy, Danny, Rizzo, Kenickie, and more ruled the halls of Rydell High School. In the prequel series, we find four outcasts, Jane Facciano (Marisa Davila), Olivia Valdovinos (Cheyenne Isabel Wells), Cynthia Zdunowski (Ari Notartomaso), and Nancy Nakagawa (Tricia Fukuhara) just trying to find their place at Rydell High. When push comes to shove though, the foursome team up to change the hallowed halls of Rydell High and cement the name, Pink Ladies for years to come .
Created by Annabel Oakes, the first two episodes of the season are a little hard to get through. The episodes try to encompass everything fans loved about the original Grease movie, but ultimately don’t succeed. With too many musical numbers, and way too many characters, the episodes feel disjointed. You are left wondering why they created so many characters for an eight-episode season when the show is supposed to be focused on how Jane, Olivia, Cynthia, and Nancy become the Pink Ladies. It’s supposed to be focused on how these ladies create a group of individuals who would one day earn a reputation that was respected, and a little feared at Rydell.
With that being said, if you can just get past the first two episodes of the season, the story starts to even out and the musical numbers start to dwindle. The writers spend these episodes focusing on the overall story, utilizing the show’s characters to help propel the story rather than distract from it, creating a well balanced, enjoyable story. You are still left wondering why there are so many characters involved in the story, but you finally get the sense that Jane, Olivia, Cynthia, and Nancy are indeed the leads of the show.
Of the four leads, Davila’s Jane and Wells’ Olivia are written to be the series “Sandy” and “Rizzo”, respectively. Though we find the two getting along much quicker than Sandy and Rizzo ever did, the idea that these two polar opposite ladies have something in common is there, and that’s because of the performances from Davila and Wells. But, it is Fukuhara’s Nancy and Notartomaso’s Cynthia that will leave the lasing impressions. Both characters are so over the top, in the best way possible, that you will end episode 5 wanting to learn more about each of their characters. These two are comedically great. Though, all four stars are at their strongest when they are performing alongside one another.
Like Grease, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies has an important message it is trying to convey. Stand up for what you want. With what audiences know about the 1950s, this wasn’t easily done at that time, but Oakes makes it look easy in this series. The writers have created a story that audiences of all ages can relate to. The things happening to these characters are things that are still happening to this day. It is a ‘50s show with a modern-day twist. This includes the musical numbers. Each number is heavily influenced by the music of the ‘50s, the late ‘70s (when Grease was released), and today. Justin Tranter (Executive Music Producer/Songwriter) and Jamal Sims (Choreographer/Director) took each number and crafted it to fit the time period while at the same time attracting a new generation. You can’t help but bop your head along as the group is singing on top of tables in The Frosty Palace or in between cars at the Drive-In.
Filled with fun musical numbers, fantastic costumes, and small Grease Easter Eggs here and there, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies is a worthy prequel to the movie. Will it live up to the legacy that is Grease, maybe not, but it will do a good job bringing in a new audience to the halls of Rydell High.
Grade: B